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Learn how to effectively list all `.txt` files in GitHub Actions, including top-level files, and understand why certain wildcard extensions may not work as expected.
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How to List All .txt Files in GitHub Actions While Including Top Level Files

If you’re working with a directory structure that contains multiple .txt files in nested folders as well as at the top level, you might face an issue while trying to list these files using GitHub Actions. In this guide, we’ll discuss the problem related to the wildcard usage in different shells and how you can effectively list all .txt files, including those located at the top level.

Understanding the Problem

Let’s start by examining the scenario where you have a directory structure like this:

a.txt

x/

b.txt

y/

c.txt

yz/

d.txt

You might initially try using the command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command works beautifully in Zsh, as it includes all .txt files regardless of their level within the folder structure. However, when using this command within a GitHub Actions environment, which defaults to Bash, you’ll notice that it ignores the a.txt file located at the top level.

Why the Issue Occurs

The problem arises due to the differences in how shell environments handle the wildcard patterns. Here’s the breakdown:

Zsh Shell: It supports the ** wildcard, which allows searching for files recursively, including the top-level files.

Bash Shell: Unfortunately, by default, Bash does not behave the same way; it won’t consider files at the root level when using the */ wildcard extension, resulting in missing files like a.txt in your case.

A Simple Solution

Fortunately, there is a simple workaround to this issue. Instead of relying solely on the **/*.txt wildcard, you can combine a couple of wildcard patterns to ensure you include all .txt files at both the top level and in subdirectories. Here’s how you can do it:

Step-by-step Command

Replace your original command with this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation:

*.txt: This will include any .txt files present in the top-level directory (e.g., a.txt).

**/*.txt: This will ensure that all .txt files in nested directories, such as b.txt, c.txt, and d.txt, are included.

Example Usage

Here’s a complete example of how you might write your loop in a GitHub Action step:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command loop will now accurately display the names of all the .txt files, ensuring you don’t miss out on any files in your project.

Conclusion

When working with GitHub Actions, it's essential to be aware of the differences among shells regarding wildcard expansion. By using a combination of wildcard patterns, you can easily list all .txt files in your project, including those at the top level. This simple solution guarantees that you have complete access to all necessary files, ensuring your automation processes work smoothly.

With this understanding, you can now confidently tackle similar issues in the future. Happy coding!